Fiber optic systems are used in a variety of applications. In a fiber optic system, information in the form of a light signal is transmitted between different portions of the fiber optic system through an optical fiber. End faces of two optical fibers may be axially aligned and placed into contact under a predetermined axial load to make a point-to-point signal connection.
To transmit the light signal through the fiber optic system, it is important for an end face of an optical fiber to have desired surface characteristics so that the end face may interface suitably with other components in the fiber optic system. An optical fiber end face that does not have desired surface characteristics may result in signal loss and degraded optical performance of the fiber optic system. In some circumstances, an optical fiber with an end surface that does not have desired surface characteristics may render the optical fiber inoperable.
It may be desirable for the end face of an optical fiber to be smooth and/or flat. In some circumstances, it may be desirable for the end face of the optical fiber to be square, such that the end face is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the fiber. In other circumstances, it may be desirable for the end face of an optical fiber to have a curved shape.
Cleaving and polishing an optical fiber are two conventional approaches to obtaining the desired surface characteristics of an optical fiber end face. Traditionally, cleaving and polishing are performed in a controlled manufacturing environment.
In a less controlled environment, such as in a field environment, it may still be desirable to process an end face to achieve desired surface qualities. For example, for various types of optical fiber repair and maintenance work, such as splicing fibers and repairing connectors, it may be desirable to process the fiber to achieve a smooth, flat, curved, and/or square end surface as part of the repair or maintenance work. However, it may be difficult to achieve these desired optical fiber end surface characteristics in an uncontrolled environment using known cleaving and polishing devices.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for shaping an end of an optical fiber to provide desired surface characteristics.